Belmont Abbey retires Castellanos No. 4 baseball jersey

Published: Sunday, February 2, 2014 at 03:57 PM.

After all, he became the first Belmont Abbey College baseball player to be drafted in 36 years by a major league team in 2008 and became the school’s first major leaguer in 79 seasons in 2012.

But Castellanos was given the highest honor a school can give to an athlete when his No. 4 Crusaders’ jersey was retired.

“It’s a big honor for me,” Castellanos told the crowd of about 500 at Abbey Yards on a sunny and pleasant Sunday afternoon. “I’m not much of a talker, but I have so many people to thank for the opportunity Belmont Abbey College has given me.”

Castellanos thanked his Crusaders coach Kermit Smith, current Crusaders coach Chris Anderson and Father Chris Kirchgessner, the Prior of the Belmont Abbey Monastery. Smith was coaching against the Abbey Sunday as head coach of Lander, while Anderson was coaching in his home debut after spending the previous five seasons as Smith’s assistant at Lander.

Anderson said he told Smith he had found “the (NCAA) Division II Babe Ruth” when he recruited Castellanos out of Miami, Fla., in 2005.

“And the class he was in and the class after him built the program at Belmont Abbey,” said Anderson.

For the Crusaders, Castellanos was a two-time All-Conference Carolinas second baseman in 2007 and 2008 after hitting .430 and .390, respectively, while helping the Crusaders to 72 victories. In 2008, the Abbey set a school record for wins (41) when it won the school’s first-ever NCAA Division II tournament game.

A 10th-round draft pick of the St. Louis Cardinals in 2008, Castellanos became the first Belmont Abbey player to be selected in the major league draft since the Baltimore Orioles chose Henry Holmes in the 13th round in 1972.

After advancing through the Cardinals’ minor league system – highlighted by being named Palm Beach Cardinals player of the year in 2010 and earning Texas League All-Star honors in 2011 – Castellanos was traded to the Dodgers in 2011.

And during the 2012 and 2013 seasons, Castellanos was promoted to the major leagues. Castellanos’ debut in 2012 made him the first Belmont Abbey product in the big leagues since 1915 graduate Hal Haid played for the Chicago White Sox in 1933.

Castellanos said later he still remembers that moment – and the next day when he made his major league starting debut.

Promoted from Class AAA Albuquerque of the Pacific Coast League on May 31, Castellanos made it to Dodger Stadium during an eventual 6-2 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers.

“You have the adrenaline pumping,” Castellanos said of being a late-game defensive replacement in left field. “I remember getting there in the sixth inning of the game. And in the eighth inning, they tell me to go in and I was like, ‘Wow, hold up!’

“So it was overwhelming but I didn’t have time to think about it. The next game when I started in Colorado, that really made it hit home for me.”

Castellanos went two for three at the plate in that starting debut of a 13-3 Dodgers’ loss in Colorado, rapping a RBI triple and a RBI single.

He hit .174 with one home run and three RBIs in 2012 and then hit .188 with one home run and one RBI in seven games as a late season call-up for the National League West Division champion Los Angeles Dodgers last season. He hit .328 with 17 home runs and .257 with 19 home runs, respectively, for Albuquerque.

But with the Dodgers having committed long-term contracts to four outfielders – Carl Crawford, Andre Etheir, Matt Kemp and Yasiel Puig – Castellanos was traded to the Boston Red Sox in October and later claimed by the Texas Rangers on waivers in December. Castellanos will begin training camp on Feb. 17 in Surprise, Ariz., as a member of the Rangers’ 40-man roster.

“With the Dodgers, there just wasn’t a great opportunity for me,” Castellanos said. “So I got traded and then picked up by Texas. Hopefully, that’ll be a big opportunity for me.”

With experience playing second base, third and outfield, Castellanos is hopeful he’ll get a chance to play in several roles.

“They said they’re excited to have me,” Castellanos said of the Rangers. “They said they’ve been watching me through my minor league career. I’m looking forward to the opportunity.”

You can reach Richard Walker at 704-869-1841 or by twitter.com/JRWalk22

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After all, he became the first Belmont Abbey College baseball player to be drafted in 36 years by a major league team in 2008 and became the school’s first major leaguer in 79 seasons in 2012.

But Castellanos was given the highest honor a school can give to an athlete when his No. 4 Crusaders’ jersey was retired.

“It’s a big honor for me,” Castellanos told the crowd of about 500 at Abbey Yards on a sunny and pleasant Sunday afternoon. “I’m not much of a talker, but I have so many people to thank for the opportunity Belmont Abbey College has given me.”

Castellanos thanked his Crusaders coach Kermit Smith, current Crusaders coach Chris Anderson and Father Chris Kirchgessner, the Prior of the Belmont Abbey Monastery. Smith was coaching against the Abbey Sunday as head coach of Lander, while Anderson was coaching in his home debut after spending the previous five seasons as Smith’s assistant at Lander.

Anderson said he told Smith he had found “the (NCAA) Division II Babe Ruth” when he recruited Castellanos out of Miami, Fla., in 2005.

“And the class he was in and the class after him built the program at Belmont Abbey,” said Anderson.

For the Crusaders, Castellanos was a two-time All-Conference Carolinas second baseman in 2007 and 2008 after hitting .430 and .390, respectively, while helping the Crusaders to 72 victories. In 2008, the Abbey set a school record for wins (41) when it won the school’s first-ever NCAA Division II tournament game.

A 10th-round draft pick of the St. Louis Cardinals in 2008, Castellanos became the first Belmont Abbey player to be selected in the major league draft since the Baltimore Orioles chose Henry Holmes in the 13th round in 1972.

After advancing through the Cardinals’ minor league system – highlighted by being named Palm Beach Cardinals player of the year in 2010 and earning Texas League All-Star honors in 2011 – Castellanos was traded to the Dodgers in 2011.

And during the 2012 and 2013 seasons, Castellanos was promoted to the major leagues. Castellanos’ debut in 2012 made him the first Belmont Abbey product in the big leagues since 1915 graduate Hal Haid played for the Chicago White Sox in 1933.

Castellanos said later he still remembers that moment – and the next day when he made his major league starting debut.

Promoted from Class AAA Albuquerque of the Pacific Coast League on May 31, Castellanos made it to Dodger Stadium during an eventual 6-2 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers.

“You have the adrenaline pumping,” Castellanos said of being a late-game defensive replacement in left field. “I remember getting there in the sixth inning of the game. And in the eighth inning, they tell me to go in and I was like, ‘Wow, hold up!’

“So it was overwhelming but I didn’t have time to think about it. The next game when I started in Colorado, that really made it hit home for me.”

Castellanos went two for three at the plate in that starting debut of a 13-3 Dodgers’ loss in Colorado, rapping a RBI triple and a RBI single.

He hit .174 with one home run and three RBIs in 2012 and then hit .188 with one home run and one RBI in seven games as a late season call-up for the National League West Division champion Los Angeles Dodgers last season. He hit .328 with 17 home runs and .257 with 19 home runs, respectively, for Albuquerque.

But with the Dodgers having committed long-term contracts to four outfielders – Carl Crawford, Andre Etheir, Matt Kemp and Yasiel Puig – Castellanos was traded to the Boston Red Sox in October and later claimed by the Texas Rangers on waivers in December. Castellanos will begin training camp on Feb. 17 in Surprise, Ariz., as a member of the Rangers’ 40-man roster.

“With the Dodgers, there just wasn’t a great opportunity for me,” Castellanos said. “So I got traded and then picked up by Texas. Hopefully, that’ll be a big opportunity for me.”

With experience playing second base, third and outfield, Castellanos is hopeful he’ll get a chance to play in several roles.

“They said they’re excited to have me,” Castellanos said of the Rangers. “They said they’ve been watching me through my minor league career. I’m looking forward to the opportunity.”

You can reach Richard Walker at 704-869-1841 or by twitter.com/JRWalk22